Previews

Viewtiful Joe 2

A look at the sequel to one of the most original and entertaining games to be released in the past few years.

Spiffy:

It's a new Viewtiful Joe game, isn't that spiffy enough?

Iffy:

Record doesn't change the basic gameplay too much; lack of new moves

With the PS2 version of Viewtiful Joe recently released in Japan, was there any doubt that a sequel would be on the way? This is Capcom we're talking about, and they know a good thing when they see one. Fortunately, their fans also share the same sentiment, and because of this, we have a sequel to one of the most original and entertaining games to be released in the past few years.

The gameplay in VJ2 is very similar to the first game, but there are some new wrinkles added to intensify the experience. For starters, Sylvia -- Joe's girlfriend from the first game -- is now a playable character, and has some abilities that her significant other does not. She possesses long range attacks that Joe doesn't, such as the ability to shoot bullets from long range at enemies. This proves useful to her, since she's not as physically capable in close combat as Joe is. Now that you control two characters, you can switch between the two with a tap of the Z button. Often there will be times when you'll need to use teamwork to solve puzzles, but I'll get into that in a minute.

Sylvia introduces a new VFX mode to the game, called Record. It's not an actual record mode like you would find in a game like Blinx though. Instead, you have to tap the R button just as an attack hits your opponent, or hold it down before it connects if you want to make it easier. The Record VFX will then repeat that attack three times in a row, causing a lot of damage to an enemy if it connects. Record can also play a significant role in solving many of the new puzzles in Viewtiful Joe 2. In one scene, you have to light up a meter using attacks. Joe can't do it quickly enough, even with his Mach Speed VFX, so you can call in Sylvia to use her Record VFX so that she hits it three times all at once. This will light up the meter to its limit, allowing you to progress further.

In another puzzle, punching a button causes a block to fall from the ground, on top of a spiked trap. If you try to get past this puzzle as Joe, you'll find it impossible because you need three blocks stacked up on each other to clear the wall that's close by. However, using Sylvia will let you get all three blocks at the same time. Switching to Joe immediately will let you clear this puzzle with ease. Of course, using up your VFX meter will cause you to transform back into your normal form, where you can't switch freely, so you have to be mindful of that too.

Just like the first game, the visuals in Viewtiful Joe 2 are stunning, even at an early stage. Sure, it looks like the first game as far as art direction goes, but since when was VJ's art a problem? All of the enemies in the demo look familiar to those in the first game, but they are much different this time around, possessing lasers, balloons and guns to try to do you in.

Although most of the tricks that made Viewtiful Joe 1 unique are now old-hat, more Joe is always a good thing, especially since the sequel builds directly on the first. The demo was a tad on the easy side, but so was the demo for the first game. We'll save our judgment of the game until it's actually released, but it's pretty evident that Capcom is well on their way to establishing yet another successful franchise for the next generation and beyond.